The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : A truly engaging film

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Sunday, Feb 10, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

A truly engaging film

Shining: Ranvir Shorey steals the show.

Film: Mithya

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah,

Vinay Pathak,

Rannvir Shorey,

Neha Dhupia

Director: Rajat Kapoor

Two cheers for Rajat Kapoor. His directorial venture, “Mithya”, despite its obvious flaws, is an engaging film. And in his own understated ways, takes Bollywood’s new found fascination for disengaging with the stereotypes an inch or two forward. Rajat catches the pulse of the multiplex frequenting audiences with ease. Be it the choice of his roles as an actor, or the choice of the subject as a director. Or even the casting of actors here, he has a feel fo r what the cola-sipping, Santro-driving crowd wants. Importantly, he delivers.

Not with panache here for the film does stumble here and there, and at times does not quite have the wheels to generate a uniform momentum. But in spurts, “Mithya” is an unadulterated delight.

The source of this joy is Rajat himself, who takes an every day story of a wannabe star in Bollywood but infuses each situation with such humour and love that the film becomes at least partially special because of the treatment.

His hero is a simple guy who wants his moment under the sun. That’s all. Not the neon lights for ever. But there is a little hitch. This struggling actor finds himself playing a ‘bhai’ in a real-life drama! A bit far fetched but the director never lets that feeling hit you hard. All thanks to the humour that is a world removed from banana peels. The film is high on the smile quotient, and low on slapstick. And actually a fine showcase for character actors. All of them, in their own, even limited ways, are the hero here. There is the terribly unsung Brijendra Kala as Shyam. And Vinay Pathak as his cohort Ram.

They share a fine chemistry, and the laughs flow with them on the screen. Pathak has a cameo which could have done with better development though. There is the ever reliable Naseeruddin Shah bringing his professional ease to the role of a don. But the real hero is Ranvir Shorey, who mocks at the traditional image of a hero. No rippling muscles which seem to be a prerequisite for a mainstream hero role. Not quite the looks either. Separately, each part of his personality is not so impressive. Together though, it is a fine blend, a rare mixture. His face lends itself to multiple emotions. And unlike more saleable names, he is no prisoner of image. So, he gets to try his hand at cameos in films like “Bheja Fry” and “Traffic Signal”. They were little cherries. This one here is the cake he has waited for long.

He is the soul of the film. And this story of a struggler impersonating a don, and not so sure of his love for a one-film wonder – Neha Dhupia, predictably a doll here – ends up as a little delight. Not a full-throated comedy like Rajat’s “Bheja Fry” but a film that offers enough joy despite its sudden end. Go for “Mithya” with your meet.

ZIYA US SALAM

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